New-York tribune., 1887-11-22
WILD BEASTS IN TORTURE.
THEIR CRIES OFFRANTYC TERROR.
THOSE THAT ESCAPED MORE FRIGHTENED
THAN The PEOPLE


A RHrSocTRos BREAKING THROUGH WALLS o.
YLAMK-THE FIRE ATTRIBUTED TO ONE
OF BARNUMs DISCHARGED EM-
PLOYRs-BRAvE EPvORrs TO
SAVE THE ELEPHANTS.
The fire fend has again dealt Phineas I. Bae,
mum severe blow, and he has already announced
his intention OF rising as he has done four TINES
before Ph enix-like from the ashesn Almnsl
literally ashes are all that now remain Of tho
main building known as The Animal House," IN
the winter quarters of The Greatest Show On
Earth" at bridgeport, Conn.,, where Barnum keeps
his quadrupeds and cbariots, show trappings gen
orally and other moral attractions when the circus
season Is over.
The winter quarters are in the western part of
the town, where houses are few, some distance
from the business streets They occupy q large
plot Of ground adjoining the tracks Of the New
York and Ncw-llavs- Rss'road. There are two
large buildings something over 400 feet long and
several smaller structures. They are all Of
wood, and as they necessarily contain great deal
Of intammable material, fire has been dreaded
ever since the big show took to alternating in
Bridgeport. 1t came on Sunday night, and every
body in bridgeport is surprised not at the extent
Of the destruction, but that so much escaped the
flames.
Six watchmen are employed about the buildings,
and they have to make their rounds at frequene
intervals, for the danger from fire was fully
realized, and also the necessity Of extreme vigi.
lance. George Myers, one Of the watchmen.
looked into oil the doors in the main building
visiting the last entrance at the north end of tho
main building at 10 p. m This is attcsted by
the tell-tae clock with which all the watchmcn
are provided and which records the time when
they make their inspections
SUDDEN FLAMES AND AN INCENDIARY.
Immediately after leaving the main building he
ran up the steps leading to the monkey house, q
small structure. After looking into the door and
finding everything safe, he turned to descend. He
saw something which made him quicken his foot
steps. Smoke and flames were issuing from the
quarter of the building he had just visited. Hc
ran down the steps, unlocked the door, saw .
oIinding light; then his vision was obstructcd BY
dark form which sprang at him. lie saw moth
ing more than the outline of human figure, when
couple of violent blows stretched him scnseless.
1t was several minutes before he rcgaincd con-
sciousness. Then the alarm had been given. Fro
engines were OH the ground and pandemonium
reigned.
Ibis is his story, and in proof of it he shows q
severe bruise ON his forehead The morning after
the fire had done its work, onfrmatory evidence
of circumstantial character was furnished in tho
shape of billy" which was picked up neae
the place where he said he had been struck
AS near as can be asceftained it was about
seven minutes after 10 when the fire broke out.
and never did fire make more rapid Roadway.
Had the main object in constructing the building
and filling it been to produce big bonfire, things
could not have been better managed. The build.
ing was two stories and an attic. On the ground
floor was the menageric part of the show, with
| abundance of straw for bedding for the animals
| and compressed hay for fodder. On the floor
above were stored the circus tents and ropes, tho
seats and lot of wardrobe material Of gaudy.
fantastic and highly infiammablc character. Hero
were also the sleeping apartments Of the employees
In the attic was slowed a lot more Of the proper
ties. 1t was, indeed, feast for the flames, and
the hollow space on the ground floor admitted Of
an abundant draught.
The fire department was prompt in responding
to the alarm. Meanwhile the score or more OF
men who were sleeping or preparing to sleep up.
| stairs rushed hurriedy down and out into the
yard, arraying themselves in such garments as
they could pick up in their flight Some Of them
were hardly presentably clad, but it was no time
to think about the proprieties, although motley
crowd of men and women was gathering in the
yard and around the buildings. The Workmen
did not lose their presence of mind forget tho
they could not be called, for their cries of rage
and fright pierced the night and gave q thrill Of
terror to the stOuteSt heart The fire started In
the northern end of the building. Here most Of
the Gagged animals were, and there seemed no
chance OF saving them, for the flames were already
upon them, and who would venture through dro
among roaring lions, tigers and pantbers, mad with
fright? And if the beasts let loose, who could
tell how many human lives might fall victims to
their blind furyr .
EFFORTS TO SAVE THE ELEPHANTS
But the elephants were housed in the southern
part of the building. Brave men might save them.
Otto Mabis saw the opportunity, and unconscious
that he was doing anything heroic, led the way
to where the elephants were tugging at their
chains. The men got about the legs of the hugo
beasts and loosed the chains of most Of them.
Some were too violent to be approached, or tho
flames were advancing upon them too rapidly and
they had to be left to their fate. Alice. tho
widow Of Jumbo, one Of the most costly of tho
elephant herd that was brought from the Zoolog.
cal Gardens in London to comfort Jumbo in exile:
the white elephant for which o fabulous sum was
paid, but whose sacredness proved to be NOT above
suspicion; Samson and little jess, q recent inn
portatOn. thus perished in the flames But tho
driven trumpeting into the yard, where theiR
presence caused not little CONSERVATION.
THE RHINOCEROs BREAKING THROUGH THE FLAMES.
Meanwhile higher and higher shot the flames
casting . ruddy glow on the waters Of the Sound
and Illuminating the country for miles Not long
were the cries of the beasts left in the building
heard above the roar of the flames. Death came
to their relief quickly, though in the cruelless
shape But not to all Bursting through the
wooden framework OF the building, with great
patches Of hide literally hanging in shreds about
him and blood dropping from his wounds camc
the rhinoceros, on whose huge bulk thousands have
gazed with delight and smazement In their
pity, people forgot to be frightened No ono shot
at the poor animal, and it allowed to hide
itself among some cars. Some hopes arc enter
taned Of yet saving its life by slxifu, trcatmcnt
The fire department made no effort to save the
burning building. From the first that was
obviously useless. and the water poured upon
the surrounding wooden buildings which were